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Baker's Dozen

Versions 13.0: Shirley Manson's Favourite Albums
Elizabeth Aubrey , June 6th, 2018 10:19

In a satisfyingly forthright Baker's Dozen, Garbage singer Shirley Manson argues for boycotting un-gender-balanced festivals, explores Scottish sonic pride, discovering the finger-banging potential of listening to The Clash and says a life without misery is incomplete. All that plus enthusiastic recollections of music from Nick Cave, Patti Smith, The Stone Roses and more

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Marianne Faithfull - Broken English
I just think that it's a perfect record. The cover is exquisite; it's still one of the most iconic record covers of all time, so beautiful, mysterious and alluring. Every song on that record is great; it's a brilliant record.  



That sort of worn-out sound of her voice felt very different to me than a lot of the female voices that you hear, even to this day. She's got this very distinct gravelly, worn-out, fucked-up voice that sounds like she's done it all and of course, she has.



I just think she's a really interesting artist and she continues to take risks and never does the obvious which is something I've always loved about her. 'Why'd Ya Do It' is still one of my all-time favourite songs and it thrills me – this sort of vengeful, raging expression of total disappointment in somebody. I just really identify with that song for some reason. Her version of 'Working Class Hero' is gorgeous as is 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan' – both are just amazing songs.  



She's not been born with the greatest of voices and in this climate where everybody's a stage-schooled kid and everybody can sign multiple octaves – they've not actually got any soul in their heart – she's all soul and all desire to communicate through this fucked up voice that's full of frailty. I just think she's so exciting as a result.  



She was born so beautiful that she could've easily cultivated a very sort of alluring, very traditionally feminine voice and yet she didn't: I'm so grateful to her for that. There's a lot of androgyny that comes out in her sound, which I really identify with.